Monday, December 12, 2011

Augmented Reality

Made a Powerpoint presentation on Augmented reality today.
I personally think it was very interesting so I decided to share.

Definition of augmented reality

On the spectrum between virtual reality, which creates immersive, computer-generated environments, and the real world, augmented reality is closer to the real world. Augmented reality adds graphics, sounds, haptic feedback and smell to the natural world as it exists.

Both video games and cell phones are driving the development of augmented reality. Everyone from tourists, to soldiers, to someone looking for the closest subway stop can now benefit from the ability to place computer-generated graphics in their field of vision.

Hardware

The main hardware components for augmented reality are: processor, display, sensors and input devices. These elements, specifically CPU, display, camera and MEMS sensors such as accelerometer, GPS, solid statecompass are often present in modern smartphones, which make them prospective AR platforms.

HMD

A head-mounted display (HMD) places images of both the physical world and registered virtual graphical objects over the user's view of the world. The HMD's are either optical see-through or video see-through. Optical see-through employs half-silver mirrors to pass images through the lens and overlay information to be reflected into the user's eyes.

Practical examples

Junaio

Previously, the Junaioapp was its own social network that allowed users to create AR scenes by importing 3D models into still images captured from the phone's camera.

A few weeks after releasing the updated application, Junaioannounced it had formed a partnership with BART, San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit system, to bring live train data to the app.

Subway maps have been one of the more popular implementations of AR on mobile phones, especially with Paris-based developers Presseliteand their popular, award-winning Metro Paris Subway application. With this latest release, Junaiois taking advantage of the API provided by BART to not only place locations of nearby stations in a user's field of vision, but also estimated arrival time of trains at each station displayed live in real-time in the AR point-of-view.

HUD Firefighter Helmet

No matter what the environment conditions are the new Draeger HUD system will always provide valuable cylinder information directly to the firefighter. The HUD is positioned inside the mask for maximum protection and performance.

If you look at your hand and make a fist, a menu pops up which you can navigate by making gestures with your fingers.

The mask can display the percentage of toxins in the air, ambient temperature and shows through walls, where other firefighters areand the real time generated map of the building.